[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 163 (Tuesday, August 22, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 51022]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-21287]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE


Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Pursuant to the Clean Water 
Act

    In accordance with Departmental Policy, 28 CFR 50.7, notice is 
hereby given that a consent decree in United States of America v. HS 
Resources, Inc., and South Tech Exploration, L.L.C., Civil Action No. 
CV00-1850 (W.D. La.), was lodged with the United States District Court 
for the Western District of Louisiana on August 9, 2000.
    This is a civil action commenced under Sections 309(b) and (d) and 
404 of the Clean Water Act (``CWA''), 33 U.S.C. 1319(b) and (d), 1344, 
to obtain injunctive relief and civil penalties against HS Resources, 
Inc., and SouthTech Exploration, L.L.C. (``Defendants'') for the 
discharge of pollutants into waters of the United States at ten oil 
well sites in Beauregard, Acadia, Jefferson Davis, Calcasieu and Allen 
Parishes, Louisiana (``the Sites''), without authorization by the 
United States Department of the Army under CWA section 404(a), 33 
U.S.C. 134(a), all in violation of CWA section 301(a), 33 U.S.C. 
1311(a).
    The proposed Consent Decree would resolve these violations and, 
among other provisions, would require Defendants (1) to pay civil 
penalties totaling $700,000, (2) spent an additional $500,000 to 
acquire one or more wetlands tracts in Louisiana and convey the 
property to The Nature Conservancy for preservation; (3) apply to the 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (``Corps'') for an after-the-fact permit 
for the unauthorized discharges; and (4) to comply with all terms and 
conditions of any permit that is issued. The proposed Consent Decree 
further provides that if the Corps denies the after-the-fact permit, 
the United States reserves, and the Consent Decree does not affect, the 
right to issue an administrative order or orders to remove all or part 
of the fill placed at the Sites, and/or to require mitigation with 
respect to the unauthorized fill at the Sites.
    The Department of Justice will accept written comments relating to 
the proposed Consent Decree for thirty (30) days from the date of 
publication of this notice. Comments should be addressed to the 
Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources Division, 
U.S. Department of Justice, Atention: Brian H. Lynk, Environmental 
Defense Section, P.O. Box 23986, Washington, DC 20026-3986, and must 
refer to United States of America v. HS Resources, Inc., and SouthTech 
Exploration, L.L.C., DJ Reference No. 90-5-1-1-05767.
    The proposed consent decree is on file at the Clerk's Office, 
United States District Court, Western District of Louisiana, Lake 
Charles Division, 611 Broad Street, Lake Charles, Louisiana 70601, and 
may be examined there to the extent allowed by the rules of the Clerk's 
Office. In addition, written requests for a copy of the consent decree 
may be mailed to Brian H. Lynk, Environmental Defense Section, U.S. 
Department of Justice, P.O. Box 23986, Washington, DC 20026-3986, and 
should refer to United States of America v. HS Resources, Inc., and 
SouthTech Exploration, L.L.C., DJ Reference No. 90-5-1-1-05767. All 
written requests for a copy of the Consent Decree must include the full 
mailing address to which the Consent Decree should be sent.

Letitia J. Grishaw,
Chief, Environmental Defense Section, Environment and Natural Resources 
Division, U.S. Department of Justice.
[FR Doc. 00-21287 Filed 8-21-00; 8:45 am]
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